We are open for an equal and respectful dialogue on all global and regional agenda issues, Russian President Vladimir Putin said

MOSCOW, October 31. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the country was not going to drift info confrontation that is forced on it by the international community.

“Arsenals of the leading countries are being developed and improved. At the September summit, the NATO leadership openly declared the alliance intended to continue military build-up. Instead of the collective, civilized settlement of international problems, it increasingly frequently uses force, economic, information pressure levers,” the president said at top officers’ awards ceremony in the Kremlin.

He said “Russia is not going to drift into confrontation that is being persistently forced on us.” “We are open for an equal and respectful dialogue on all global and regional agenda issues,” Putin said.

In the conditions of the uneasy international situation, Putin called for the consistent improvement of the country’s Armed Forces. “The world of the 21st century has not become more stable or more secure. The old threats have not disappeared, and in a number of regions the situation has aggravated. Thus, a serious hotbed of tension remains at our borders — in the south-east of Ukraine,” the president said.

“Our military doctrine is defensive. Its main objective is ensuring the country’s sovereignty, peace and calm for our citizens,” Putin said, adding that it is necessary “to consistently implement all the plans for the improvement of the Armed Forces and other agencies responsible for national security."